Making your home more energy efficient with ENERGY STAR can help to reduce high energy bills, improve comfort and help to protect the environment.
Learn more about the energy impact of one household and tips for saving on heating costs this winter with our Heating Season Footprint infographic.
Take a room-by-room tour of ENERGY STAR @ home and learn what you can do this spring to save energy, save money and help protect our environment in your own home.
This video teaches you to properly use your programmable thermostat.
In this video, a home improvement expert takes you through a real home to learn energy-saving tips.
The ENERGY STAR Home Advisor can provide you with recommended home improvement projects to increase energy efficiency and comfort in the area where you live.
Give it a try, keeping in mind that setting temperatures up or down when you are away or asleep is an easy way to save energy and money without sacrificing comfort.
A comprehensive, whole-house approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort at home, while helping to protect the environment.
As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills - and your comfort.
Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it.
Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort. Learn more: Maintain your Equipment: A Checklist
A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs.
Ducts that move air to-and-from a forced air furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump are often big energy wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent - and sometimes much more.
Focus first on sealing ducts that run through the attic, crawlspace, unheated basement, or garage. Use duct sealant (mastic) or metal-backed (foil) tape to seal the seams and connections of ducts. After sealing the ducts in those spaces, wrap them in insulation to keep them from getting hot in the summer or cold in the winter. Next, look to seal any other ducts that you can access in the heated or cooled part of the house. See our See our Duct Sealing brochure (1.13MB) for more information.
Learn about how to hire a contractor, what kinds of tools they use and how to find a contractor in your area.
As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills - and your comfort.
Considering purchasing a room air conditioner? Consider an ENERGY STAR qualified model. They use at least 10 percent less energy than standard models.
Window - If replacing windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified models designed for your area, and save $20-$95 each year in energy costs. With proper installation to ensure all gaps are sealed around them, ENERGY STAR qualified windows can help improve your comfort, cut drafts, and reduce fading of interior furnishings.
Ducts - Keep air registers and vents clear to allow air to flow freely throughout the room.
Learn about how to hire a contractor, what kinds of tools they use and how to find a contractor in your area.
From warm showers to clean dishes, we count on hot water. In fact, the average household spends $400-$600 per year on water heating - making it the second largest energy expenditure behind heating and cooling. Today's new ENERGY STAR qualified water heaters include smart design enhancements that offer significant improvements in efficiency - and performance. Depending on the technology you choose, you can cut your water heating costs in half!
Set your water heater thermostat to 120 F or lower. Savings resulting from turning down your water heater temperature are based on two components: reduced standby losses (heat lost from water heater into surrounding basement area); and consumption (from water demand or use in your home).
A water heater lasts about 10-15 years, and when it fails it can leave you with a big mess. When in a rush to replace, it's hard to evaluate options and consumers often end up with the least efficient choice. If you're one of the 27 million households with a water heater that's more than ten years old, consider replacing it with an ENERGY STAR qualified model before it fails. By acting early you have more control of your purchase and can start saving money right away.
Learn about how to hire a contractor, what kinds of tools they use and how to find a contractor in your area.
The average home spends about $2,200 on energy bills every year. Change to appliances that have earned the ENERGY STAR, and you can save in energy costs, while saving the environment.
Learn about how to hire a contractor, what kinds of tools they use and how to find a contractor in your area.
If every American home replaced their 5 most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save close to $9 billion each year in energy costs, and together we'd prevent the greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars. Note: This fact is based on the replacement of 9 bulbs in 5 high-use fixtures.
Learn about how to hire a contractor, what kinds of tools they use and how to find a contractor in your area.
Consumer electronic products are responsible for approximately 15 percent of household electricity use. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average American household has three televisions, two DVD players or recorders, at least one digital camera, one desktop computer and two cell phones, among other consumer electronics products-the average American household has 24 consumer electronics products.
Many electronic appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These "phantom" loads occur in most appliances that use electricity such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances.
Below are some quick tips to save energy with commonly used electronics.
If you don't remember to unplug, the standby power mode is the second best option. A typical home has 40 products continuously drawing power. This number is likely to grow, so ENERGY STAR has focused on decreasing standby power draw across the whole range of products and especially on consumer electronics like TVs and monitors. a network.
Standby power mode is the lowest power consumption that a product can draw while plugged in.
The attic is one of the places where you often find the biggest air leaks, which can increase your energy bills and make you uncomfortably hot in summer and cold in winter. It is also a place that is generally accessible, making it easier to air seal and insulate to improve your home's comfort and overall energy performance.
The basement is a good place to make energy-efficient improvements. From appliances such as washing machines and dryers to heating and cooling equipment and home sealing, there are important steps you can take to improve your home's energy efficiency, save on energy bills, and help protect the environment.
There are many things you can do to save energy in your bathroom.
Sealing and insulating-done by a knowledgeable homeowner or skilled contractor-can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10% on total annual energy bills). It will also make your home more comfortable and help your heating and cooling system run more efficiently.
Look for holes, tears, and other signs of leaking ducts and seal them using mastic or metal (foil) tape (never use 'duct tape,' as it is not long-lasting). Insulate all the ducts you can access (such as those in the attic, crawlspace, unfinished basement, or garage).
Learn about how to hire a contractor, what kinds of tools they use and how to find a contractor in your area.
Many people now work from home. While this saves time and money on commuting, it can increase home energy bills.
From appliances and lighting to home sealing, there are several areas to improve the energy efficiency of your kitchen and save on energy bills.
The living room is a gathering spot for family and friends to spend quality time. It's also a place where you can take simple steps to be more energy-efficient.
Learn about how to hire a contractor, what kinds of tools they use and how to find a contractor in your area.